May 25 2019

The 6 Best GTX 1080 Laptop

Technology in gaming laptops has advanced at an astonishing rate in the past five years. Quickly vanishing are the days of chunky laptops that were weighed down by all the technology stuffed into them. Also going out of style are the old designs that screamed, “This is a gaming laptop.”

Laptop makers have also been working to release laptops that are increasingly thinner, while still managing to up the power every year. Many of today’s gaming laptops are five pounds or less, which is pretty close to the MacBook Pro. The weight of laptops today is even more amazing considering what the amount of tech that companies stuff in them, like storage space and batteries.

But let’s make no mistake here, these laptops are made primarily for gaming. All of the laptops we will be covering today have managed to cram a high-quality GTX 1080 graphics card into their frame, a graphics card that is normally massive.

The results are gaming laptops that finally feel like you are taking a gaming desktop on the go. 💻 ✨


Best GTX 1080 Laptops for Gaming

Currently one the best graphics cards on the market, the NVIDIA GTX 1080 can create some of the most visually stunning and powerful gaming experiences today. If you are looking for a laptop that can harness the power of the GTX 1080, then check out the following list of best GTX 1080 laptops on the market today.

If you haven’t already, make sure to check out GameGavel’s overall list of best gaming laptops as well.

Best Choice: Acer Predator Triton 700

Pros & Cons

  • Very thin design
  • Great keyboard
  • Powerful storage
  • Fans run hot
  • Wish there was 4k
  • Weird touchpad placement

Key Features

  • 15.6 inch LED display
  • 32GB RAM
  • Intel Core i7-7700HQ Processor
  • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q
  • Storage: 1TB NVME PCIe SSD storage

Acer Predator Triton 700 Review

Aside from some weird design decisions, the Acer Predator is a fantastic gaming laptop. Weighing just a bit over five pounds and having a thickness of 0.74-inches, it is amazing how much power Acer was able to pack into this very thin frame. Its Nvidia Max-Q GTX 1080 graphics card helps create some incredibly smooth gameplay.

Now on to the design. Overall it’s fantastic. The slim aluminum chassis feels sturdy and well designed. The overall look is very pleasing. Its keyboard is very good too. Acer has managed to fit a full mechanical keyboard on the Predator Triton, which has great responsiveness.

Now let’s get to the trackpad. Just…. what? Why would Acer think that putting the trackpad above the keyboard be a good idea? It’s awkward to use and, since it’s sitting right above the fans, it often gets too hot to even use. The user experience design team really dropped the ball on that choice. Good thing most people will get a mouse when using the Triton anyways.

For gamers looking for the best gaming laptop to take their gaming on the go, then the Acer Predator Triton is a great choice. Since the GTX-1080 graphics card is shrunk down a little due to the Triton’s small size, it isn’t quite as powerful as bigger beasts like the MSI GT75 Titan.

But the combination of great performance with a great aesthetic to makes the Acer Predator Triton 700 GameGavel’s “Best Choice” for a GTX 1080 gaming laptop.

Premium Pick: Razer Blade Pro 17.3”

Pros & Cons

  • G-SYNC screen leads to smooth visuals
  • Mechanical keyboard
  • GTX 1080 graphics card in a thin laptop
  • Great trackpad w/ fully customizable buttons surrounding it
  • Super expensive
  • Very low battery life

Key Features

  • 4k UHD G-SYNC touchscreen display
  • VR ready
  • Quad-core 7th gen Intel Core i7 processor
  • Storage: 1TB SSD storage
  • 17.3” Display

Razer Blade Pro 17.3” Review

Looking at the Razer Blade Pro is a look into the future of gaming laptops: sleek, subtle, thin, and incredibly powerful. This beautifully designed laptop has the power to match many desktops out there, yet the weight to easily carry it with you like a MacBook Pro.

With a quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, a 17-inch 4K display, and an Nvidia GTX-1080 graphics card all packed into the Razer Blade Pro, it is amazing that this machine is only 0.88-inch thick. Its performance in-game is incredibly smooth, easily sustaining high frame rates.

Its keyboard has a nice feel to it – good key travel – even if it can’t quite replace the feel of a mechanical keyboard. The trackpad is placed on the right side of the keyboard is a bit weird, but you get used to it fast. The buttons around the trackpad are fully customizable, which is great for setting up your preferences so you can make quick settings changes mid-battle.

The one issue with the Razer Blade Pro is its high price, which right now is above $3,500. But if you are looking for a laptop with the great build quality, fantastic visuals, portability, and a great keyboard, then the Razer Blade Pro is absolutely worth the high price.

Best Value: Asus Zephyrus ROG GX501 15.6”

View At Amazon

Pros & Cons

  • Really cool aesthetic
  • Powerful gaming performance
  • Competitive price
  • No SD slot
  • Trackpad is a little small

Key Features

  • 15.6-inch screen
  • Refresh rate: 144Hz
  • Thin design
  • 1TB NVMe SSD Storage
  • Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q
  • Intel Core i7-8750H Six-Core Processor

Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501 15.6” Review

If you’ve read our review of the best laptops under $2000, you already know about Asus ROG Zephyrus. For those who haven’t, let’s go over this fascinating laptop one more time.

As I described in the introduction to this list, many laptop companies are striving to combine portability and power in one laptop. The Zephyrus GX501 is Asus’ attempt at that, and boy do they do it well. Weighing in at about five pounds, the Zephyrus gives you a ton of power for gaming and a decent battery life (for a gaming computer).

Asus has really toned down the “gamer” look with the Zephyrus, giving it a really sleek look. It has a deep grey color does have some nice accent orange colors for an overall look that you could use in a coffee shop and nobody would guess it was a gaming laptop. It is absolutely one of the best-looking gaming laptops out there.

In terms of power, the Zephyrus is not the strongest, but it’s 1080p will handle most games really smoothly. Its powerful i7 processor, GTX 1080 graphics card, and high refresh rate allow it to easily handle FPS games like Overwatch or Call of Duty at Ultra graphics and keep a high frame rate.

More demanding games, like open-world titles, may force you to turn down your graphics a little in order to sustain a smooth framerate, but it still does a good job.

One of the most amazing parts of the Zephyrus is just how quiet it is. Even when putting a huge demand on it while gaming, the fan stays relatively quiet. Another great aspect of the Zephyrus is the price, which right now is way below high-end laptops like the Razer Pro.

For everything that you get with this laptop, it is a fantastic value and a great option for gamers looking to game on the go. For more value laptop options, check out GameGavel’s list of best budget gaming laptops.

Best Hexa-Core: Asus Chimera G703GI

Pros & Cons

  • Blazing fast refresh rate
  • Built in Xbox Wireless Controller Module is very convenient
  • PCIe SSDs = faster loading times
  • Large screen
  • i9 processor
  • Short battery life
  • Expensive
  • Can’t upgrade GPU or CPU

Key Features

  • Built-in Xbox Wireless Controller Module
  • 8th-Gen Intel Core i9-8750H Processor
  • 144Hz refresh rate
  • 2x PCIe SSDs = 512GB of storage
  • 2.5mm key travel distance
  • Dual 12V fans with Anti-Dust Technology
  • Thunderbolt 3, Gigabit Wifi, HDMI 2.0

Asus Chimera G703GI Review

So remember what I said about laptops getting thinner and more subtle? Well the ASUS Chimera G703GI missed the memo on that. This baby is over 10-pounds and has a frame that is twice as thick as many of new slim gaming laptops out there. It’s a monster. However, there is a lot of technology packed into this 17-inch Chimera that makes this a truly powerful machine.

The Asus Chimera shines when it is serving its primary function: being a gaming station. The Chimera can easily handle any game on ultra settings. You will easily be operating at over 100 frames a second with major titles, like Apex Legends, Call of Duty, and League of Legends.

I mean, the Chimera has an i9 processor in it. Come on, that’s crazy. This is a really powerful machine.

Past gaming though, the Asus Chimera suffers at other aspects of being a laptop. Since this laptop is so huge, you will have a really hard time taking this thing with you. You also must keep Chimera plugged in at all times since it has nearly no battery life from all the power that it uses.

Because of both of those factors, you will probably end up leaving this thing plugged in at your desk. One final knock against the Asus Chimera is its lack of upgradability. You can’t change out the GPU or CPU, which is possible in many other gaming laptops today. Considering the price of this laptop, that’s a bit disappointing.

The Asus Chimera may suffer in some areas, like portability and upgradability, but it absolutely succeeds at being a gaming station. With an incredible amount of power due to its i9 processor and GTX 1080 graphics card, gaming on this laptop is right up there with any good gaming desktop.

If you are looking for other options for really powerful machines, make sure to check out GameGavel’s list of best gaming PCs.

Best for 4K: MSI GT75 Titan-013

Pros & Cons

  • Mechanical keyboard
  • Intel Core i9 processor
  • 4k capable with great refresh rate
  • Poor battery life
  • Boring aesthetic

Key Features

  • 17.3” screen size
  • VR Ready
  • Mechanical keyboard
  • UHD 4K display
  • Super RAID 4 1TB NVMe SSD  with a 1TB 7,200-rpm HDD
  • Processor: i9-8950HK Hexa-Core
  • Refresh rate: 120Hz
  • 4K Nvidia G-Sync 60-Hz display

MSI GT75 Titan–013 17.3” Review

The MSI GT75 Titan-013 is a laptop that simply states, “Screw looking cool. Screw being slim. We’re going to build the biggest, baddest thing out there.” And MSI certainly did, this an absolute beast of a laptop. Stuffed inside of Titan’s gigantic frame are a Core i9 processor and a GTX 1080 graphics card, making it one of the best MSI gaming laptops.

Those two pieces work together with the Titan’s gorgeous 4k display to create an incredible gaming experience.

Don’t buy this laptop expecting to bring it with you every day, though, it’s called “Titan” for a reason. Its heavier weight and chunky frame make lugging this thing around a tough task. Unless you are bringing this to a friend’s house for a LAN party, it’s just too much effort to move this thing around.

Outside of its RGB keyboard, the MSI Titan has a pretty boring aesthetic to it. It’s plain black with some red stripes on the back. It certainly won’t win any beauty contests, but the Titan doesn’t care. It sacrifices look for ultimate performance.

As for gaming performance, the Titan is probably the best on the market. You can have most games running on 4k on Ultra and still be over 70 frames per second. Going down to 1080p can easily get you upwards of 90+ frames per second.

With such a good screen, it’s very hard not to admire the incredibly detailed visuals that the Titan can display. Colors pop beautifully and details of the landscape stand out so much more. It’s gorgeous.

If you are considering buying the MSI Titan, I hope you either have a lot of money or aren’t too attached to your kidney, because you might need to donate it in order to afford this incredibly expensive laptop. If you can afford it though, the Titan is absolutely worth it if you are looking for performance over everything else.

Best Dell: Dell Alienware 17 R5

Pros & Cons

  • CPU is insanely powerful
  • High frame rates, even on ultra settings
  • RGB lighting on the sides and the mousepad
  • It’s gigantic
  • No mechanical keyboard
  • Short battery life

Key Features

  • 17.3-inch display
  • i9-8950HK
  • VR Ready
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1080
    32GB RAM
  • Storage: 256GB NVMe SSD + 1TB HDD

Dell Alienware 17 R5 Review

As one of the most legendary names in PC gaming, Alienware is always expected to put out top quality products. With the Alienware 17 R5, they have lived up to their name by creating an incredibly powerful gaming laptop by including an i9-8950HK processor and a GTX-1080 graphics card.

The computing power of the Alienware 17 R5 is insane. This laptop can breeze through pretty much any CPU-reliant activity, like gaming. Speaking of gaming, you can expect consistently high frame rates due to the powerful GTX-1080 graphics card. The game experience gets even smoother since Alienware included G-SYNC technology to prevent screen-tearing in-game.

Alienware has always been towards the front when it comes to aesthetics, and they certainly don’t disappoint when it comes to the 15 R5. It has some really cool RGB lighting on the side and the bottom of the laptop, as well as on the keyboard and the touchpad. The back of it has a sleek black look with the classic alien head lit up in RGB lighting. Overall, it’s a great look.

As for its stature, the Alienware 17 R5 isn’t a laptop you’ll be carrying many places. It has a gigantic frame and weighs a hefty 16.9 pounds. Oof.

Overall, the Alienware 17 R5 is another great example of just how powerful gaming laptops are getting. If you are looking to trade in your gaming desktop for a laptop, this would be a great option to look at.

 

GTX 1080 Laptops: Buying Guide

Gaming laptops are a big investment, and those looking for a laptop with GTX 1080 graphics will have to dedicate even more money to their new machine. That means it is important to find the right gaming computer to fit your needs. Not every GTX 1080 laptop is the same, so we have created this buying guide to help you identify the key factors to look for when shopping.

Portability

Historically, gaming laptops have been huge behemoths that you would need to lift with your knees to not hurt your back. Thankfully, due to advancements in technology, many gaming laptops have gotten significantly slimmer and lighter while still retaining an immense amount of power.

Eurocom Sky X7C Laptop

However, because of the shrink in size, many of the slimmer gaming laptops, like the Acer Predator or the Asus Zephyrus, are slightly less powerful than their heavier competition, like the MSI Titan or the Alienware 17 R5.

So the question for you is, how much do you want to be carrying your laptop around? If you picture yourself carrying this laptop with you to class or to coffee shops, then you might have to sacrifice a bit on performance to get it. Don’t worry though, because those “lower-performing” laptops still have GTX 1080 graphics cards in them, so they are still pretty dang powerful.

Power

Gaming laptops often have a number of options to pick from, each option a little bit more powerful than the last. There are options with more storage, a better Intel processor (gotta love that i9), and a lot more. What you select depends on how much power you think you want in your computer, and also how much money you are willing to spend on it.

Acer Predator 17X Laptop Keyboard

A great way to figure out how much power you need is by looking at the games you usually play. If you mostly play FPS games, like Fortnite, then you won’t need as much power in your gaming laptop to get high frame rates as you would an open-world game, like The Witcher III.

Battery Life

It is oftentimes really hard for gaming laptops to have any semblance of a battery considering how much hardware they have to cram into a laptop’s frame. Many larger laptops, like the MSI Titan, will always need to be plugged into a wall to function.

MSI GT75VR 7RF Titan Pro Laptop RGB Keyboard

With smaller technology, though, many laptops have been able to get upwards of 4 to 5 hours of battery life. That’s still abysmal compared to normal laptops, but for gaming laptops that is quite the achievement and it makes them great for gaming on the go.

So if you think you want to take this laptop to either game in other places or maybe to work, then make sure to consider battery life when shopping.


Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some commonly asked questions that people have when buying a GTX 1080 laptop:

What Is the Most Powerful Laptop?

As of right now, it is either the MSI GT75 Titan or the Asus Chimera G703. Both have i9 processors with GTX 1080 graphics cards that make for some incredibly powerful gaming.

Can Gaming Laptops Be Used for School?

Any gaming laptop could technically be used for school, but a good laptop for school comes down to how easily you can carry it around. If you want to take your gaming laptop to class with you, then you should look for one of the smaller options, like the Acer Predator 700.

You should also look for one with a decent battery, so you don’t have to be that person who is scouring the room for an outlet in every class.


Final Words

When shopping for a gaming laptop, quite a few things need to be considered (as noted in our buying guide). Still, anyone with basic gamer knowledge knows that you can’t go that wrong if you pick a rig with GeForce 10 series graphics card. However, the GTX 1080 is extremely expensive and you won’t be able to get your hands on such a laptop without breaking the bank.

If you aim a little lower (price-wise), we’d be glad to recommend:

If any of our picks has caught your attention, don’t hesitate to check it out and let us know why it was the best GTX 1080 laptop in your opinion.


Tags


{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}

Author

Ben Leighton